VegetableLettuce
Bronze Guard Lettuce
Loose Leaf
Bronze Guard Lettuce is a striking oakleaf variety that brings bronze and green hues to both the garden and the dinner plate, thriving across hardiness zones 2 through 10. This leaf lettuce maintains excellent flavor even when other varieties turn bitter in heat, reaching harvest in 60 to 70 days from planting. At just 5 to 10 inches tall with a compact 4-inch spacing requirement, it fits neatly into small gardens, containers, or succession plantings while delivering consistent, flavorful harvests throughout the growing season.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
10 in
Height
—
Width
4 in
Spacing
60–69
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
2-10
Size
10in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Bronze Guard apart is its remarkable ability to stay sweet and tender when lettuce season gets challenging. The bronze-green coloring isn't just visually stunning in the garden or on the plate, it signals a plant with genuine cold tolerance and heat resistance that keeps other varieties from bolting and turning bitter. Whether you're tucking it into tight corners of the garden or using it as a garnish and salad base, this oakleaf type earns its space through both beauty and reliable, dependable flavor.
Common Uses
Bronze Guard serves beautifully as a loose-leaf salad base, where individual leaves can be harvested repeatedly without harvesting the entire plant. The bronze-green coloring makes it especially attractive as a garnish and for mixed salad presentations where visual interest matters. Its attractive appearance and reliable flavor make it equally at home in a casual weeknight salad or as a more elegant plating element.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Not Applicable
First Harvest
3-4 Weeks After Planting
Last Harvest
8-10 Weeks After Planting
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow Bronze Guard directly in the garden where it will grow, spacing seeds 4 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart. This variety grows quickly and doesn't require indoor starting for most climates.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting leaves once the plant reaches usable size, typically around 60 to 70 days from planting. With oakleaf lettuce, you can pick individual outer leaves as needed while leaving the center to continue producing, or harvest the entire head when it reaches 5 to 10 inches tall. Regular harvesting encourages the plant to keep producing tender leaves rather than bolting.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Lactuca L.
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Lactuca
Duration
Annual
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)